OUT NOW !!!
 

 

Finally the Global Phonehead Records, second release is here. Matenda´s 3rd full-length album “Natural development”, will fit everybody’s taste with its wide range of musical styles. From influences of trance, electro, house to downbeat and more club-inspired sounds. The album Natural development is a fusion between the down-tempo project “Chilling Matenda”, and the more up-tempo project “Matenda”. Matenda delivers the track “Equilibrium”, for the more percussive peak time moments of the night and tracks like “Natural development, Speculator, Invisible garbage, Epsilon and Plain vanilla”, for more of the morning use. “Perspectives” again shows his affinity to harmonies, driving basslines and warm pads, whereas “electronegative” takes us to a electro and more housey place. The album ends with the beautiful down-tempo tune “Orphean”, in true Chilling Matenda style. You can for sure expect the unique Matenda vibe again, but with “Sounds around”, which is co-produced with Alex Joon and with vocals by Dejan Mitic, perfectly state that he is ready to take it to the next level.  Natural development is the album which suits the Global Phonehead Records slogan perfectly “high quality tracks for progressive minds, to hear and feel everywhere... anywhere...”

I always thought Matenda was a great producer on the one hand, and an underrated producer on the other hand. He is one of the few artists whose music I can always go back to, and find I know every single damn note (the other artists who spring to mind are Neil Young, Johnny Marr's guitarwork with The Smiths, and most of The Stone Roses.)

From the opener Speculator, with its effortlessly gliding layers and orgasmic breakdown, you know you’re in for a bit of a treat. Plain Vanilla shamelessly resurrects warm Balearic vibes – think Chicane with up-to-date production, all the while sounding as though you’re driving along some beachside highway with an implausibly stunning bird sitting in the passenger seat.

The title track is an utter classic – it’s laconic, low-set stuff that coaxes melodies out of nowhere. Perspectives runs deeper, a subtle track that is the sort of thing that we used to say would hold a dancefloor’s attention nicely. Sounds Around is a competent stab at pumping vocal amylectro, and the out-and-out lysergic Loopus funk of Electronegative goes a hell of a long way.

Equilibrium and Invisible Garbage are more tribal takes; the latter works better than the busy and cluttered former, though neither are essential. Best bet is to skip on to the blissful jazzy house of Epsilon, or better still the gloriously lamenting closing track Orphean: sounding like everything wrong in the world being put simultaneously right, it’s a gorgeous piece of music your mum will love.

What makes Matenda so special, as I have said before, is the apparent ease with which he translates honest, raw emotion into music. Listening here, there’s the full range: wonder, love, amazement, happiness, expansion, and a touch of a reflective, almost folorn sadness. It really is that good. In an age where we’re bombarded with presets, big breakdowns, and festival-live performances with smelly-looking guitarists, it’s about time we heard something that’s just bloody honest with itself.

Thank you.

Review by Damion